Profile

Lion tamarins have a mane derived from long hairs on the top of the head, cheeks and
throat. The head and body length of the golden-rumped lion tamarin averages
about 30
cm (12" ), and it weighs approximately 0.6 kg (1.3 lb). It is mostly black with
varying amounts of reddish-golden coloration on the rump, thighs and at the base of its
tail.

The golden-rumped lion tamarin occurs in primary lowland tropical forests up to
700 m (2300') in elevation, including semi-deciduous inland forests, humid coastal plain forests
and littoral vegetation types. It prefers dense areas of vegetation,
especially where bromeliads occur.
Fruit, insects, nectar, and exudates
comprise its diet.
The golden-rumped lion tamarin is diurnal and predominantly arboreal. It spends most of its time in the middle levels
of the forest at 7 - 15 m (23 - 50') above the ground, although it comes to the ground to
forage for prey in leaf litter. Groups of golden-rumped lion tamarins include 2 - 11
members (average: 3.6 members). Groups have home
ranges of 66 - 200 hectares (165 - 500 acres).

The golden-rumped lion tamarin once occupied a large
forested area in the interior of the state of Sao
Paulo, Brazil, between the Rio Paranapanema and
the Rio Tiete. Much of its habitat had been cleared by the early 1900's, and it was not
seen between 1905 and 1970. In 1970 a small population was discovered in the Morro do
Diabo State Park in southwest Sao Paulo. By 2003 a total of 11 highly fragmented populations were
known, with the large majority in the Morro do Diabo State Park.

More than 90% of the original Atlantic coastal forest, which contains the golden-rumped
lion tamarin's habitat, has been lost or fragmented to obtain lumber and charcoal and to
clear out areas for plantations, cattle pasture, and industry. Fire and hunting also are
threats. Even in reserves where the golden-rumped lion tamarin occurs,
there are problems with squatters degrading and cutting down the few habitat
patches that remain, and the fragmentation of its habitat is extreme.

Tidbits

*** The Jesuit Antonio Pigafetta, who documented Magellan's voyage around the
world, referred to lion tamarins as "beautiful, simian-like cats similar to
small lions." (Macdonald 2001)

*** Conservation of the golden-rumped lion tamarin may depend on providing for the
exchange of individual tamarins between the widely scattered populations to promote
genetic diversity. This would require convincing landowners to allow forested corridors to
grow between the populations or translocating the animals as part of a management plan.

*** As part of an environmental education, landowners have agreed to preserve 5000
hectares (12,500 acres) of privately owned forest habitat of golden-rumped lion tamarins.

History of Distribution:

The golden-rumped lion tamarin has only been known from the interior of the state of
Sao Paulo, Brazil, between the Rio Paranapanema and
the Rio Tiete, where it once occupied a large forested area. Much of its habitat had been
cleared by the early 1900's and it was not seen between 1905 and 1970. In 1970 a small
population was discovered in the Morro do Diabo State Park in southwest Sao Paulo. As of
1981 it was only known from the Morro do Diabo State Park and a second remnant population
near Galia, Sao Paulo. By 2003 a total of 11 highly fragmented populations were
known, with the large majority in the Morro do Diabo State Park (IUCN
2004,Medici et al. 2003).

Threats and Reasons for Decline:

More than 90% of the original Atlantic coastal forest, which contains the golden-rumped
lion tamarin's habitat, has been lost or fragmented to obtain lumber and charcoal and to
clear out areas for plantations, cattle pasture, and industry. Fire and hunting also are
threats. Even in reserves where the golden-rumped lion tamarin occurs,
there are problems with squatters degrading and cutting down the few habitat
patches that remain, and the fragmentation of its habitat is extreme. (Rylands
et al. 1996/7, Macdonald
2001).

Habitat:

Although lion tamarins exploit forest in early stages of succession, they
depend on tall, mature forest for their sleeping holes, which are dug out by
woodpeckers, and for sufficient animal prey foraging sites, especially bromeliadepiphytes and leaf litter piles in
vines and palm-tree crowns. (Macdonald
2001)

Diet:

Behavior:

The golden-rumped lion tamarin is diurnal and predominantly arboreal. It spends most of its time in dense areas of
vegetation in the middle levels
of the forest, 7 - 15 m (23 - 50') above the ground, although it
comes to the ground to forage for prey in the leaf litter and to catch
insects. Its specialized hands have long fingers for probing crevices in tree
bark to find insects. At night the whole group sleeps together in a tree
hole. (Rowe 1996,
Emmons
& Feer 1997, IBAMA 2004)